Follow the Raven

By: Tow Posted on: April 07, 2012

He was a young Mhun boy with wild raven-black hair on the verge to become a young man. Today would be his big day. He would accompany his father, a Crownmerchant, on a delivery of ale from Hashan to Bagwar's copse. After their delivery they would travel further towards Delos where they would go see Certimene. The young Mhun already was an Hashani citizen and would follow his father's footsteps as a Crownmerchant but he hadn't made his mind up yet about what class he would pick. His head was still spinning from all the books his father made him read about the possible classes a Crownmerchant can pick. He rather spend his days in the park or underneath a shady tree in one of the gardens, daydreaming about his future wild adventures. He never had a mind to focus on studying and books.

'Ok Nevar' said the proud father while giving the reins to his son. 'Today is your big day! You steer our chart on the highway, when we reach the forest path I'll take over again.' And so they departed on a trip that wouldn't go as they had planned at all...

They had reached the forest path to take them to Bagwar. Nevar had returned the leads to his father and now was having eyes short to take in all the wonders and majesty of the forest and Nature. This was so much richer then the gardens in the city, better then his wildest dreams!

But suddenly a shivering seemed to spread through the trees as if the forest itself was in pain. All birds suddenly became quiet. But father and son didn't have much time to ponder what just happened as the horse pulling their chart staggered and was trying to pull free. His father was pulling the reins but suddenly the horse jumped forward dragging the chart wildly along. The two mhun had to hang on with all their might, barrels of ale crashing on the forest floor.

Then they arrived in a portion of forest that looked entirely different. All was blackened and burnt, no single drop of green to be found. Their chart flipped over and crashed on it's side, the men hit the ground hard, the trapped horse whinnying in blind panic.

From out of the shadows a black armored knight stepped forward and with one quick slash of his sword he cut loose the horse which galloped away into the woods. Then he turned his attention to both mhun still struggling to get back on their feet. With one precise kick the dark knight pushed the biggest of the two back to the ground and held the point of his sword before the eyes of the shivering man.

'Are you the sad excuse those cowardly forestals send to interfere with our Holy business?'

'No, sir, please spare us, spare the boy, he's innocent. We are just merchants passing through. We have no business with what you are doing here!'

'Right you are you shivering weasel! But your faith is sealed already!'

With a hard slap of his steel-gloved hand the father was hit to the ground.

'Father!!'

The knight's hand grabbed the boy by the throat as he wanted to rush to his dad.

'Innocent, eh? Like that ever stopped me to bring death and havoc. But this is your lucky day, I have no time for you. Run boy, run!'

Pushing the boy back the knight turned around; his sword ready to strike at the man sitting next to the crashed cart. But before he could strike he heard some tumult behind him. The boy had tried to jump the knight but two of his cloaked companions had grabbed the boy by the arms. With a smirk the dark knight turned around and left a deep gash in the boy's upper arm with his sword, the venom biting his skin.

'So you prefer to watch how I slay your cowardly father!'

Elegantly the knight twirled his sword above his head and with one heavy blow he beheaded the older mhun. The two cloaked serpents let go of the boy and the knight slapped his face hard to make him more conscious again.

Again he prepared to behead but suddenly a black raven came in with flapping wings and started clawing and picking at the knight's face. This was enough to throw him off and the boy tried to run away. But the knight raised his free hand and uttered a command. Two rotten arms broke through the forest floor and grabbed the boy by the ankles, stopping his escape. The two cloaked serpents came towards him both more woodlore creatures jumped between them and the boy. A fox, a badger, a wolf and a butterfly were followed by a man clad in fur and pelts. Throwing his axe at one of the serpents and knocking the other one down with his spear. Nevar was able to get loose from the gravehands but saw how the man from the forest was slowly being driven back by his three opponents. But all the sudden the sound of battle was overtaken by loud explosions. Meteor arrows came crashing in from above. The three evil ones quickly touched their shield tattoos. The young mhun stumbled away and saw the forestal man and his animals retreat too from the corner of his eye.

Lost and confused by the effects of the venom, Nevar stumbled through the forest and soon came upon a river's bank. The rumble of the battle still close behind him. The mhun boy was lost at what to do till from the other side of the river a raven was calling him and looking at him from the other side with keen eyes. Nevar didn't hesitate any longer and struggled across the river. The forest on this side of the river was much darker and filled with shadows and forms that seemed to watch and follow him. But the raven led them deeper and deeper into the forest. The raven led the boy to a secluded vale where exhausted as he was he fell asleep. Bad, feverish dreams combined with the effect of the venom filled his sleep. Dreams of bloodshed and his father's murder. Dreams cloaked in dark feathers and ravenous eyes watching him. A dark knight with a red falcon emblazoned on his chest and a man with fur and wild animals chasing him...

The young mhun was pulled out the mist of his dreams by the call of a raven and when he opened his eyes the raven was sitting on a branch above him. The boy followed the raven's gaze and saw a short man in leather armor and armed with a sword stalking between the trees. This must be one of those buckawns he heard stories about. When the buckawn was out of sight he raven took flight and again Nevar followed his dark feathered friend. They crossed another river and the forest got lighter and fresh again. Mighty bucks and skittering squirrels crossing his path. Exhausted and more death them alive the boy stumbled upon the Eleusian gatehouse and collapsed to the floor.

Elias the gatekeeper sounded the alarm and one of those responding recognized the boy. The Sentinel said he saw the boy the last month when they responded to an extermination. The boy and his father were caught up in the battle and only the boy got away. They took the young mhun to Muria where his wounds were tended and his body slowly gained strength again.

The Sentinel came to visit the boy and Nevar told him how he wanted to learn to fight and have the animals of the forests assist him and to one day have his revenge for what happened that dreadful day. The Sentinel liked his spirit but told him vengeance was not what Sentinels fought for. A head filled with hate only would lead to bad decisions on the battlefield. Nature is what we fight for as Nature shelters us all!

When Nevar recuperated and his mind seemed to be clearly set on becoming a Sentinel and learning about Nature he was inducted into the House of Sentinels as a cub. He didn't even had to go Certimene in Delos first. A Sentinel escorted him to Aine where he was given his intro and learned his first skills.

The more he learned, the more he was awed by the beauty and the power of Nature. He trained and studied hard and was so proud when his mentor gave him a raven totem spear upon passing his noviceinterview. Although his interview didn't go completely smoothly. He came close to failing with his feelings of vengeance interfering with his duties for Nature. But his love for Nature and willingness to fight for Her was so great he was able to convince his tester.

After passing Pathfinding his temper got him in trouble again. After an argument with another Sentinel Fox he tripped his Housemate and jumped at him, threatening to hit him with his fist. Luckily for Nevar it all stopped there, he needed all his force to restrain himself. A senior Sentinel had walked in on this and both Foxes were send to Ravien, the Internal Affairs secretary. It ended with Nevar being put on probation, he was walking a very thin line now. One more misstep and he would be removed from the House which would probably already been the case if he had thrown that punch.

Nevar was in a sulking mood and went to hunt in the far north to clear his mind. The idea of quitting the House played in his mind but he decided this would be too harsh a decision. That night he dreamed of the death of his father, it had been a long time since those nightmares last plagued him. The next month one of his hunting trips went terribly wrong and to his surprise it was the same senior Sentinel that send him to Ravien who came to grab his corpse and help rezz him. And to make it worse the one rezzing him was the one he fought with. Nevar was only able to utter some thank yous and vanish, he was so ashamed of himself, he didn't deserve to be in this amazing House.

Even if he was on probation his Packmates still assisted him when he needed refills or tattoos. He even was invited to hunting-parties. Only now he truly understood the true power of the Pack and that being a Sentinel is much more then being a good fighter. And as it was meant to be it was the same day he came to this realization his woodlore session with his mentor resulted in Nevar to be able to summon his raven.

Nevar went to personally apologize to his packmate and told him he was a better Sentinel then Nevar had been. He asked for forgiveness. The other Sentinel laughed it off and said he had already long forgotten about the incident, apology accepted.

And now Nevar just passed his Fox test and became a Sentinel Raven himself, a full member of the House. This was the best day of his life! He held a small personal ritual to thank the Raven Spirit for always having been his Guide and Protector. Nevar vowed to never loose his temper again. He was still hoping to face the dark knight with the red falcon arms one day as Nevar knew he still was an active forestenemy. One day his day would arrive! But he would not loose his cool, his personal vengeance would never interfere with his duties for Nature and House! Even if it would mean letting his nemesis go!

ps: written for Sentinel Year of the Raven, 590 AF